Information processor and method, recording medium and program

ABSTRACT

An UPnP control point is connected to an IEEE802 network, and 1394 equipment is connected to an IEEE1394 network. The IEEE802 network and the IEEE1394 network are connected to each other through an UPnP device functioning as a bridge. The UPnP device receives from a general bus input plug a packet transmitted from the UPnP control point, converts it to a format of the IEEE1394 network, and transmits it from an output plug through the IEEE1394 network to the 1394 equipment. The UPnP device stores the association relationship of the plugs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to information processor andmethod, recording medium and program, and particularly to informationprocessor and method, recording medium and program with which equipmentconnected to one of a first network based on IEEE802 and a secondnetwork based on IEEE1394 can identify another equipment connected tothe other network.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Recently, a network using IEEE (Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers) 1394 high-speed serial bus (hereinafter merelyreferred to as “IEEE1394 network”) has become popular. By connectingaudio equipment or video equipment to the IEEE1394 network, eachequipment can control the other equipment by using AV/C commands.

[0005] Further, an IEEE802 network has become popular. The IEEE802network is a network that is mainly used to mutually connect personalcomputers to each other, and each personal computer can control otherpersonal computers on the basis of UPnP (Universal Plug and Play)protocol.

[0006] However, the IEEE1394 network and the IEEE802 network areindependent on each other, and thus there is a problem that an equipmentconnected to the IEEE1394 network (hereinafter referred to as “1394equipment”) cannot identify another equipment connected to the IEEE802network (hereinafter referred to as “UPnP device”).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention has been implemented in view of theforegoing situation, and has an object to enable the 1394 equipment toidentify an UPnP device.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspectof the present invention, there is provided an information processorcharacterized by comprising: plural input means for inputting a firstpacket from a first network; converting means for converting the firstpacket input from any input means of the plural input means to a secondpacket of a second network; plural output means for outputting thesecond packet converted in the converting means to the second networkfrom any output means of the plural output means; and storage means forstoring the association relationship between each of the plural inputmeans and each of the plural output means, the respective input andoutput means concerned inputting/outputting the corresponding packet.

[0009] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an information processing method characterized by comprisingthe steps of: managing plural input plugs for inputting a first packetfrom a first network; managing plural output plugs for outputting asecond packet to a second network; converting the first packet inputfrom any input plug of the plural input plugs to the second packet ofthe second network; outputting the second packet thus converted from anyoutput plug of the plural output plugs to the second network; andstoring the association relationship between each of the plural inputplugs and each of the plural output plugs, the respective input andoutput plugs concerned inputting/outputting the corresponding packet.

[0010] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a program of a recording medium for an information processorfor performing data communications between a first network in whichcommunications are performed by using a first packet of an IEEE802-basedformat and a second network in which communications are performed byusing a second packet of an IEEE1394-based format, characterized in thatthe recording medium stores therein a program for executing the stepsof: managing plural input plugs for inputting the first packet from thefirst network; managing plural output plugs for outputting the secondpacket to the second network; converting the first packet input from anyinput plug of the plural input plugs to the second packet of the secondnetwork; outputting the second packet thus converted from any outputplug of the plural output plugs to the second network; and storing theassociation relationship between each of the plural input plugs and eachof the plural output plugs, the respective input and output plugsconcerned inputting/outputting the corresponding packet.

[0011] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a program for a computer for controlling an informationprocessor for performing data communications between a first network inwhich communications are performed by using a first packet of anIEEE802-based format and a second network in which communications areperformed by using a second packet of an IEEE1394-based format,characterized in that the program makes the computer execute the stepsof: managing plural input plugs for inputting the first packet from thefirst network; managing plural output plugs for outputting the secondpacket to the second network; converting the first packet input from anyinput plug of the plural input plugs to the second packet of the secondnetwork; outputting the second packet thus converted from any outputplug of the plural output plugs to the second network; and storing theassociation relationship between each of the plural input plugs and eachof the plural output plugs, the respective input and output plugsconcerned inputting/outputting the corresponding packet.

[0012] In the information processor and method, the storage medium andthe program according to the present invention, the associationrelationship between the plural input means or input plugs and theplural output means or output plugs is stored.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the construction of a network systemto which the present invention is applied;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the construction of UPnP device2 shown in FIG. 1;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the construction of a device modelwhich the UPnP device 2 of FIG. 1 has;

[0016]FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the construction of asynchronouspacket;

[0017]FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the construction of isochronouspacket;

[0018]FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the construction of an AV/C devicemodel that 1394 proxy service of FIG. 3 has;

[0019]FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing of the network systemof FIG. 1;

[0020]FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the construction of a message outputin step S3 of FIG. 7;

[0021]FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the construction of a packet outputthrough the processing of step S24 of FIG. 7;

[0022]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the construction of a packet outputthrough the processing of step S44 of FIG. 7;

[0023]FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a message outputthrough the processing of step S26 of FIG. 7;

[0024]FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a message outputthrough the processing of step S7 of FIG. 7;

[0025]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a correspondence tableheld by a node service of FIG. 3;

[0026]FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a message outputthrough the processing of step S16 of FIG. 7;

[0027]FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the construction of a packet outputthrough the processing of step S47 of FIG. 7;

[0028]FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the construction of a packet outputthrough the processing of step S48 of FIG. 7;

[0029]FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the construction of 1394 Proxy DeviceDescription owned by a root device of FIG. 3;

[0030]FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the construction of 1394 ProxyService Description owned by 1394 proxy service of FIG. 3;

[0031]FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the construction of 1394 ProxyService Description owned by 1394 proxy service of FIG. 3;

[0032]FIG. 20 is a diagram showing the construction of 1394 NodesService Description owned by 1394 nodes service of FIG. 3;

[0033]FIG. 21 is a diagram showing the construction of 1394 NodesService Description owned by 1394 nodes service of FIG. 3;

[0034]FIG. 22 is a diagram showing the construction of 1394 NodesService Description owned by 1394 nodes service of FIG. 3; and

[0035]FIG. 23 is a diagram showing the construction of 1394 NodesService Description owned by 1394 nodes service of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] Preferred embodiments according to the present invention will bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037]FIG. 1 shows the construction of a network system to which thepresent invention is applied.

[0038] In the construction shown in FIG. 1, an UPnP control point 1 isconnected to an IEEE802 network 11. 1394 equipments 3, 4 are connectedto an IEEE1394 network 12. The IEEE802 network 11 and the IEEE1394network 12 are respectively connected to the UPnP device (1394 proxy) 2.

[0039]FIG. 2 shows an example of the construction of the UPnP device 2.

[0040] In FIG. 2, CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21 executes variouskinds of processing according to a program stored in ROM (Read OnlyMemory) 22 or a program loaded from a storage portion 28 into RAM(Random Access Memory) 23. In RAM 23 are also stored data required whenCPU 21 executes various kinds of processing, if necessary.

[0041] CPU 21, ROM 22 and RAM 23 are mutually connected to one anotherthrough a bus 24. An input/output interface 25 is also connected to thebus 24.

[0042] To the input/output interface 25 are connected an input portion26 comprising a keyboard, a mouse or the like, a display such as CRT orLCD, an output portion 27 such as a speaker, a storage portion 28comprising a hard disc or the like, and a communication portion 29 suchas a modem, or a terminal adapter. The communication portion 29 carriesout the communication processing through the IEEE802 network 11 or theIEEE1394 network 12.

[0043] Further, a drive 30 is connected to the input/output interface 25as occasion demands, a magnetic disc 41, an optical disc 42, amagneto-optical disc 43, a semiconductor memory 44 or the like ismounted if necessary, and a computer program read out therefrom isinstalled into the storage portion 28 as occasion demands.

[0044] The UPnP device (in the case of FIG. 1, the UPnP control point 1and the UPnP device 2) mainly has the following six functions:Addressing, Discovery, Description, Control, Eventing and Presentation.

[0045] Addressing is a function with which each UPnP device achieves anaddress on the IEEE 802 network 11, and DHCP (Dynamic Host ConfigurationProtocol) or AutoIP is used.

[0046] Discovery is carried out after Addressing, and it enables theUPnP control point 1 to find out target equipment which the UPnP controlpoint 1 wishes to control. A protocol used here is SSDP (Simple ServiceDiscovery Protocol). When each equipment is connected to the IEEE802network 11, it multicasts a message indicating devices installed thereinand services onto the IEEE802 network 11 (particularly, packets aretransmitted without specifying any communication partner). The UPnPcontrol point 1 receives the message thus multicasted to know whichequipment is connected to the IEEE802 network 11 (i.e., identify theequipment connected to the IEEE802 network 11.

[0047] Conversely, an equipment connected to the IEEE802 network 11 atpresent can be investigated from the side of the UPnP control point 1.At this time, the UPnP control point 1 multicasts a search command ontothe IEEE802 network 11 by using a device or service to be discovered asa keyword. When the condition prescribed in the search command thusmulticasted is met, each equipment connected to the IEEE802 network 11unicasts a response to the search command concerned (i.e., specifies thecommunication partner side and transmits packets thereto), whereby theUPnP control point 1 can detect the equipment connected to the IEEE802network 11.

[0048] Further, when each equipment gets out of the IEEE802 network 11,this is broadcasted in advance.

[0049] URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of a device description isdescribed in an SSDP packet output from control target equipmentdiscovered on the basis of Discovery by the UPnP control point 1. TheUPnP control point 1 accesses the URL to achieve more detailed deviceinformation on the equipment from the device description. The deviceinformation contains icon information, model name, producer name,article name, etc.

[0050] In the device information is described information on a serviceto be provided by the device concerned. The service description in whichthe detailed information of the service is described can be searched onthe basis of URL described in the service information.

[0051] The UPnP control point 1 can know a method of accessing thetarget on the basis of the device information (Device Description) andthe service information (Service Description).

[0052] Further, Presentation URL described later is also described inthe device description.

[0053] The Device Description and the Service Description arerepresented by XML (Extensible Markup Language).

[0054] Control is mainly classified into Action and Query. Action isperformed by a method prescribed in the action information of theService Description, and the UPnP control point 1 can operate the targetby invoking Action.

[0055] Query is used to pick up the value of stateVariable of theService Description. The value of stateVariable represents the state ofthe equipment.

[0056] A transport protocol called as SOAP (Simple Object AccessProtocol) is used in Control. XML is used as the expression languagethereof.

[0057] When the value of stateVariable is changed, Eventing is used tonotify the fact of the change from the target to the UPnP control point1. The UPnP control point 1 can know variables held by the target fromstateVariable by analyzing the Service Description. With respect tovariables for which sendEvents is set to yes, when these variables arechanged, the UPnP control point 1 can receive a notification on thechange from the target by outputting Subscription to the target inadvance. A transport protocol called as GENA (General Event NotificationArchitecture) is used for Eventing. XML is used as the expressionlanguage thereof.

[0058] Presentation is used to supply a user with control means using auser interface (UI). Presentation Page described with HTML (Hyper TextMarkup Language) can be achieved by accessing Presentation URL describedin Device Description. By using this function, an application can beprepared at the target.

[0059] The UPnP device (1394 proxy) 2 functions as a bridge between theIEEE802 network 11 and the IEEE1394 network 12, and it has a devicemodel shown in FIG. 3. The device model is constructed by one rootdevice 61, and the root device 61 has an IEEE1394 proxy service 71 andan IEEE1394 nodes service 72.

[0060] The IEEE1394 proxy service (hereinafter merely referred to proxyservice) 71 manages occurrence of bus reset of the IEEE1394 network 12,bus ID, the number of nodes, bus manager, node unique ID of isochronousresource manager (NUID), Gap Count, Self ID packet, etc.

[0061] The IEEE1394 nodes service (hereinafter merely referred to “nodeservice”) 72 receives/transmits Link-On packets, phy packets containingPhy Configuration packets, etc., asynchronous packets and isochronouspackets.

[0062]FIG. 4 shows the construction of the asynchronous packet.

[0063] Asynchronous communication is used when data communications arecarried out asynchronously. In the asynchronous communications, it isguaranteed that packets are surely transmitted to a communicationpartner node, and no delay time of the transmission is guaranteed. Thetransmission node transmits header information and actual data to a nodewhich is an indicated partner, and a reception node returns anAcknowledge packet to thereby notify reception of the packet to thecommunication partner. However, when a broadcast packet indicating nocommunication-partner node is received, the reception node returns noAcknowledge packet.

[0064] Destination_ID (Destination identifier) is disposed at the headof the 1394 packet header. This represents node_ID of the packettransmission destination.

[0065] “tl” (Transaction label) is a label for recognizing thecoincidence between a pair of transactions of a request packet and aresponse packet. tl of the request packet is also used as tl of theresponse packet.

[0066] “rt” (Retry code) represents information on a retry method whenbusy Acknowledge is received.

[0067] “tcode” (Transaction code) represents a type code of atransaction packet. That is, it represents one of read/write/lock orrequest/response.

[0068] “pri” (Priority) is set to a110 (excluding cycle start at fairarbitration.

[0069] “source_ID” (Source identifier) represents the node_ID of apacket transmission origin.

[0070] “packet-type-specific information” is disposed subsequently tosource_ID, and if necessary, “packet-type-specific data” are furtherdisposed. CRC corresponding to the above header information is insertedas header_CRC at the last of the 1394 packet header.

[0071] A data block is disposed subsequently to the 1394 packet header.The data block comprises a required number of data block quadlets, anddata_CRC as CRC for data information.

[0072]FIG. 5 represents the structure of the Isochronous packet.Data_length prescribes the byte value of a data field subsequent to theheader. If this value is equal to zero, it represents that there is nodata field.

[0073] “tag” (isochronous data format tag) represents the format of theIsochronous packet.

[0074] “channel” represents a channel number used to identify theIsochronous packet. “tcode” (transaction code) represents a codeindicating the type of the packet. Isochronous packet is set to Ah.

[0075] “sy” (synchronization code) is used to communicate synchronousinformation such as pictures and sounds between a transmission node anda reception node.

[0076] “data field” (data block payload) represents Isochronous data.

[0077]FIG. 6 shows the construction of an AV/C device model that theproxy service 71 has. The AV/C device model 50 has an isochronous inputplug 51 and a general bus input plug 52 as input plugs, and also it hasan isochronous output plug 53 and a general bus output plug 54 as outputplugs. Plugs having numbers of 00h to 1Eh can be provided as theisochronous input plug 51, and plugs having numbers of 40h to 5Eh can beprovided as the general bus input plug 52. Further, plugs having numbersof 00h to 1Eh can be provided as the isochronous output plug 53, andplugs having numbers of 40h to 5Eh can be provided as the general busoutput plug 54.

[0078] An isochronous packet is input to the isochronous input plug 51.Packets other than the isochronous packet (for example, packets in theIEEE802 network 11) are input to the general bus input plug 52.

[0079] The isochronous output plug 53 outputs an isochronous packet, thegeneral bus output plug 54 outputs other packets (for example, packetsof the IEEE802 network 11).

[0080] The AV/C device model 50 basically outputs from the isochronousoutput plug 53 the data input from the isochronous input plug 51, andalso outputs from the general bus output plug 54 the data input from thegeneral bus input plug 52. However, if necessary, it can switch theinput and the output to each other to output from the isochronous inputplug 54 the data input from the isochronous input plug 51 and alsooutput from the isochronous output plug 53 the data input from thegeneral input plug 52.

[0081] Next, the processing carried out when the UPnP control point 1connected to the IEEE802 network 11 controls equipment connected to theIEEE1394 network 12 will be described with reference to the flowchart ofFIG. 7.

[0082] In step S1, the UPnP control point 1 subscribes the proxy service71 constituting the 1394 proxy device 2 so that when some variation ismade in the IEEE1394 network 12, the proxy service 71 notifies thisvariation to the UPnP control point 1. Instep S11, when receiving thisSubscribe, the proxy service 71 executes the processing corresponding tothe subscribe.

[0083] For example, if 1394 equipment 3 is connected to the IEEE1394network 12 in step S41, in step S42 bus reset occurs in the 1394equipment 3, and likewise, in step S21 bus reset occurs in the nodeservice 72 of the root device 61. At this time, the node service 72notifies the occurrence of the bus reset to the proxy service 71 in stepS22.

[0084] When detecting a notification from the node service 72 instepS12, on the basis of the Subscribe from the UPnP control point 1 takenin step S11, the proxy service 71 notifies to the UPnP control point 1that the 1394 equipment 3 is connected to the IEEE1394 network 12 instep S13.

[0085] In step S2, the UPnP control point 1 receives a notification fromthe proxy service 71, whereby the UPnP control point 1 can know that the1394 equipment 3 is connected to the IEEE1394 network 12.

[0086] Therefore, in step S3, the UPnP control point 1 invokes therequest packet of Action based on SOAP corresponding to asynchronousread request command to read out information recorded at a predeterminedaddress of the register of the 1394 equipment 3, for example.

[0087]FIG. 8 shows an example of a request message transmitted from theUPnP control point 1 to the node service 72. The UPnP control point 1refers to 1394 Nodes Service Description shown in FIGS. 20 to 23described later to create a request message.

[0088] Since a response is returned in connection with a request, thenumeral “5” contained in Transaction represents a transaction level as alabel to recognize which request the response corresponds to.

[0089] “nuid” contained in Body represents the node unique ID (NUID) ofthe communication partner of this message. In the case of this example,it represents NUID of the 1394 equipment 3. NUID “0800460000000000” isdescribed in the notification achieved from the proxy service 71 throughthe processing of step S2. This NUID is converted to the node ID of the1394 equipment 3 (in the case of FIG. 9, “ffco”) on the basis of thecorresponding table that the node service 72 has, and stored indestination_ID of the packet of FIG. 9.

[0090] “command” represents the type of a command with which the UPnPcontrol point 1 requests “occurrence” to the node service 72. That is,in this example, occurrence of asynchronous read request command isrequested.

[0091] “000001400000” (hexadecimal number) at MSB side which iscontained in “command” represents a transaction label tl, a retry codert, a transaction code tcode and a priority Pri of FIG. 9 in readrequest for data quadlet packet shown in FIG. 9 which is generated bythe node service 72.

[0092] “fffff0000404” at LSB side corresponds to destination_offset inFIG. 9. That is, this value represents the address of the register ofthe 1394 equipment 3 which the UPnP control point 1 wishes to read.

[0093] The node ID of the node service 72 (in the case of the example ofFIG. 9, “ffcl”) is described in the source_ID field of FIG. 9.

[0094] All these values are represented in the text style, and thus theycan be described in any kind of packet of the IEEE1394.

[0095] Returning to FIG. 7, when receiving Invoke of Action shown inFIG. 8 in step S23, the node service 72 creates a packet of asynchronousread request shown in FIG. 9 in connection with Invoke of Action in stepS24, and transmits it through the IEEE1394 network 12 to the 1394equipment 3. At this time, the node service 72 stores the correspondingtable representing the association relationship between the requestshown in FIG. 8 and the request packet shown in FIG. 9.

[0096] When receiving the asynchronous read request packet transmittedfrom the node device 72 in step S43, the 1394 equipment 3 executes theprocessing corresponding to the request (in this case, read-out of theregister). In step S44, the 1394 equipment 3 creates a response packetas shown in FIG. 10 which corresponds to the request packet, andtransmits it to the node service 72.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 10, the value of the transaction code tcode isset to the value “6” representing “response”.

[0098] The values in the read request for data quadlet packet of FIG. 9are directly used as the values of destination_ID and source_ID. Thedata read out from the address of destination_offset are disposed inquadlet data.

[0099] When receiving the response packet transmitted from the 1394equipment 3 in step S25, the node service 72 creates Response as Actionbased on the SOAP protocol as shown in FIG. 11 in step S26, andtransmits it to the UPnP control point 1.

[0100] On the basis of the corresponding table, the value “5” indicatedin Transaction shown in FIG. 11 is set to “5” (the same value) inconnection with the value “5” of Transaction in FIG. 8 in order toindicate that it is Action paired with Action of FIG. 8.

[0101] In Body of FIG. 11 is described “Response” so that it correspondsto the asynchronous read response of 1394. Further, data of“00000160000000000000000031333934” is described there. This data is thevalue described in the quadlet data of FIG. 10, and it is read out fromthe offset address of the 1394 equipment 3. In step S4, the UPnP controlpoint 1 reads out this value.

[0102] In this example, in step S5 the UPnP control point 1 subsequentlyinvokes the request packet of Action based on SOAP in which a command tocontrol a predetermined operation of the 1394 equipment 3 (in this case,the turn on the power of the 1394 equipment 3) is described.

[0103] The UPnP control point 1 refers to the 1394 Nodes ServiceDescription shown in FIGS. 20 to 23 described later that the nodeservice 7 has, and creates this message (command).

[0104] When receiving Invoke of Action in step S27, the node service 72creates the AV/C command (AV/C power control command) in connection withthe Invoke of Action in step S28, and transmits it through the IEEE1394network 12 to the 1394 equipment 3.

[0105] The AV/C node service 72 creates and holds the correspondingtable between NUID and Node ID, and renews them every time bus resetoccurs. NUID is converted to the node ID on the basis of thecorresponding table, and transmitted to the IEEE1394 network 12.

[0106] When receiving the AV/C power control command transmitted fromthe node device 72 in step S45, the 1394 equipment 3 turns on the powerof the device in connection with the content of the command. Thereafter,instep S46 the 1394 equipment 3 creates the corresponding AV/C response(AV/C POWER response) and transmits it to the node service 72.

[0107] When receiving the AV/C POWER response transmitted from the 1394equipment 3 in step S29, the node service 72 creates Response as Actionbased on the SOAP protocol in step S30, and transmits it to the UPnPcontrol point 1.

[0108] The node service 72 creates and holds a table for holding theassociation relationship of Transaction (corresponding table). That is,when the AV/C POWER control command is received in step S27 and when theAV/C POWER control command is output in step S28, it is stored in thetable that both are associated with each other. Accordingly, when theAV/C POWER response is transmitted from the 1394 equipment 3, the nodeservice 72 can recognize that it is the response corresponding to theAV/C POWER control command by referring to this table.

[0109] When receiving the AV/C POWER response in step S29, the nodeservice 72 creates Response of Action based on SOAP in step S30, andtransmits it to the UPnP control 1.

[0110] The UPnP control point 1 receives this response in step S6,whereby the UPnP control point 1 can know that the 1394 equipment 3turns on the power of the device.

[0111] According to the prescription of AV/C, it is prescribed that whenAV/C equipment cannot immediately execute the processing correspondingto a request received, it returns INTERIM as a response. Thereafter,when the processing corresponding to the request is completed, the AV/Cequipment returns the final response to the transmitter of the requestat that time point.

[0112] However, there is no prescription on the time from the receptionof the request until the return of the final response. Therefore, thenode service 72 manages the time until it receives the AV/C responsefrom the 1394 equipment 3 in the processing of the step S29 after theAV/C command is output to the 1394 equipment 3 in the processing of thestep S28. When a response is received within a predetermined time set inadvance (for example, 30 seconds), the AV/C node service 72 immediatelytransmits the response corresponding to the response received to theUPnP control point 1 if the response is not INTERIM (in the case of thefinal response).

[0113] On the other hand, if the response received is INTERIM, the AV/Cnode service 72 is on standby until 30 seconds elapse from thetransmission of the AV/C command. When a response other than INTERIM(final response) is received before 30 seconds elapse, the responsecorresponding to the final response is output. If no final response isreceived within 30 seconds, the AV/C node service 72 outputs INTERIM asthe response, whereby the UPnP control point 1 can know whether theprocessing requested at least within 30 seconds can be completed or not.

[0114] In the example of FIG. 7, the UPnP control point 1 invokes “getStream” of Action based on SOAP in step S7.

[0115]FIG. 12 shows an example of a message to be created and output inthis case.

[0116] “5” represents a transaction label, and “getStream xmlns”represents an action name. “protocol” indicates a protocol used totransmit a stream on IP. “uri” indicates a file on IP which flows in thestyle of “isochronous”.

[0117] When receiving Invoke of get Stream from the UPnP control point 1in step S14, the proxy service 71 executes the processing of achieving astream flowing through the IEEE802 network 11 in connection with theInvoke thus received in step S15. At this time, the proxy service 71 isassumed to input the stream to the general bus input plug 52 of the AV/Cdevice model 50. When this stream flows into the IEEE1394 network 12,the proxy service 71 carries out the conversion processing of the formatof the packet, and also connects the general bus input plug 52 to theisochronous output plug 53.

[0118] Further, it requests the node service 72 to transmit the packetto the IEEE1394 network 12. The node service 72 executes the processingbased on this request in step S31.

[0119] As described above, the connection relationship between the inputplug and the output plug is stored (reflected) in a built-in memory.

[0120] That is, through this processing, the association relationindicating which plug of the plural input plugs is connected to whichplug of the plural output plugs is stored. Accordingly, by referring tothis memory (table), the 1394 equipment 3 can known the UPnP deviceconnected to the IEEE802 network 11.

[0121]FIG. 13 shows an example of the table stored in the node service72. In this case, the node service 72 has totally four plugs (1 to 4).Of these plugs, the plug 1 is used as the general bus input plug 52 ofthe number (ID) 40, and the plug 4 is used as the general bus input plug52 of the number (ID) 41. Data of MEPG format are input to the formerplug, and data of Audio format are input to the latter plug.

[0122] In step S16, the proxy service 71 creates Response of get Streamas Action corresponding to Action received in step S14, and outputs itto the UPnP control point 1. The UPnP control point 1 receives it instep S8.

[0123]FIG. 14 shows an example of a message in this case. “5” of thetransaction label corresponds to the transaction label of FIG. 12.

[0124] In the case of FIG. 7, the 1394 equipment 3 further outputs AV/CInput Plug Signal Format Status Command to the node service 72 in stepS47. This command requests a notification of the equipment connected tothe input plug in the AV/C device model 50.

[0125]FIG. 15 shows the format of the command. In Opcode is described avalue 19h representing that this command is INPUT PLUG SIGNAL FORMAT.

[0126] One number for specifying the input plug is described in the plugfield.

[0127] When receiving the command from the 1394 equipment 3 in step S32,the node service 72 executes the processing corresponding to thiscommand in step S33. That is, the equipment connected to the input plugindicated is read out, and it is output as AV/C Input Plug Signal FormatStatus Response to the 1394 equipment 3. In step S48, the 1394 equipment3 receives this Response and reads the content thereof, so that it canknow the UPnP device connected to the IEEE802 network 11.

[0128]FIG. 16 shows the format of Response in this case. The format isset to the same format as INPUT PLUG SIGNAL FORMAT control commandformat.

[0129] In the case of Audio, “010000” is described in an fmt field, andin the case of MEPG 2 of video, “100000” is described in the fmt field.

[0130] The value described in the plug field of the command format ofFIG. 15 is directly described in the plug field.

[0131] The time for which the plug is connected is described in an fdffield.

[0132] In order to execute the above processing, the root device 61 ofthe device model owned by the 1394 proxy 2 shown in FIG. 3 has 1394Proxy Device Description shown in FIG. 17, the proxy service 71 has 1394Proxy Service Description shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, and the node service72 has 1394 Nodes Service Description shown in FIGS. 20 to 23.

[0133] In these Descriptions are described parameters required toexecute the functions of the equipment concerned and other conditions.When another equipment requests the equipment concerned to execute thefunction thereof, by referring the Description thereof, the equipmentadds the condition described therein and transmits it to the equipmentconcerned.

[0134] In FIG. 17, deviceType “urn:sonycorp:device:1394ProxyDevice:1”represents that the device type is Proxy Device. FriendlyName “proxy forIEEE1394” represents the friendly name of the root device 61.

[0135] UDN“nuid:upnp-1394proxy-root-0800460000000000” represents theinherent number of the root device 61.

[0136] Two services are described in this Device Description. One is aservice the serviceType of which is“urn:sonycorp:service:1394ProxyService:1” and the other is a service theserviceType of which is “urn:sonycorp:service:1394NodeService:1”. Thatis, the former is the service corresponding to the proxy service 71 ofFIG. 3, and the latter is the service corresponding to the node service72 of FIG. 3.

[0137] SCPDURL “./scpd/proxyScpd.xml” of the former service representsURL of Proxy Service Description owned by the proxy service 71(specifically, URL of Proxy Service Description shown in FIGS. 18 and19).

[0138] SCPDURL “./scpd-nodeScopd.xml” of the latter service representsURL of Nodes Service Description owned by the node service 72(specifically, 1394 Nodes Service Description shown in FIGS. 20 to 23).

[0139] Action in 1394 Proxy Service Description of FIGS. 18 and 19represents various kinds of actions, and the action having the name“busRest” represents an action for inducing bus reset. The action havingthe name “getNodeNum” represents an action to achieve the number ofnodes on the 1394 bus. The action having the name “getIrmId” representsan action to achieve NUID of IRM (Isochronous Resource Manager) on the1394 bus.

[0140] The action having the name “getBmId” represents an action toachieve NUID of the bus manager on the 1394 bus. The action having thename “getGapCount” represents an action to achieve Gap Count on the 1394bus.

[0141] The action having the name “getselfIdPacket” represents an actionto achieve SelfID packet flowing on the 1394 bus.

[0142] An argument in which the direction having the name “nodeNum” is“out” (the argument output and transmitted from another equipment) isprescribed in the action having the name “getNodeNum”. In the argument“nodeNum”, the relating prescription is described in serviceStateTable.That is, it is described in “nodeNum” that when an event is generated insubscribed equipment or a status variable is varied, it is an argumentthat is output while it has the data form of “il”.

[0143] An argument in which “direction” having the name “nuid” is “out”is prescribed in the action of “getIrmId”. An argument in which“direction” having the name “getcount” is “out” is prescribed in theaction of “getGapCount”, and an argument in which “direction” having thename “selfIdPacket” is “out” is prescribed in the action having the name“getSelfIdPacket”. These arguments transmit no notification to even thesubscribed equipment even when the status variable is varied, and it isdescribed that they are output from each equipment while the form of thedata is “bin.hex”.

[0144] In 1394 Nodes Service Description shown in FIGS. 20 to 23 areprescribed the actions of “asyncReqSend”, “avcCommandSend”,“phyPacketSend” and “LinkOnPacketSend”.

[0145] The action having the name “asyncReqSend” represents an action totransmit an asynchronous packet. On the basis of this action, the actionshown in FIGS. 8 and 11 is created.

[0146] In this action is prescribed an argument in which “direction”having the name “nuid” is “in” (an argument output to and input intoanother equipment). The data type of this argument “nuid” is set to“bin.hex”.

[0147] In the action of “asyncReqSend” are further prescribed anargument in which direction of “asyncRequest” is “in” and an argument inwhich direction of “asynchResponse” is “out”.

[0148] Likewise, an argument in which direction having the name“asyncRequest” is “in” and an argument in which direction having thename “asyncResponse” is “out” are prescribed as having the date form of“bin.hex”.

[0149] The action having the name “avcCommandSend” represents an actionto transmit the AV/C command, thereby creating the action based on theprocessing of the steps S5 and S30 of FIG. 7.

[0150] The action having the name “phyPacketSend” represents an actionto transmit a phy packet. In this command, an argument in whichdirection having the name “phypacket” is “in” and an argument in whichdirection having the name “phyPacketResp” is “out” are prescribed, thesearguments have the relating variables “phypacket” and the data type is“ui4”.

[0151] The action having the name “LinkOnPacketSend” represents anaction to transmit LinkOn packet. This action has an argument in whichdirection of “phyid” is “in”. The data type of this argument is “il”.

[0152] The series of processing described above can be executed byhardware, however, they may be executed by software. When the series ofprocessing is executed by software, the program constituting thesoftware is installed into a computer incorporated in adedicated-purpose hardware or installed from a network or recordingmedium into a general personal computer which can execute various kindsof functions by installing various programs or the like.

[0153] As shown in FIG. 2, the recording medium is constructed not onlyby a package medium such as a magnetic disc 41 (containing a floppydisk), optical disc 42 (containing CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read OnlyMemory), DVD (Digital Versatile Disk)), magneto-optical disc 43(containing MD (Mini-Disk)) or semiconductor memory 44, which isdistributed to users to supply programs separately from the main body ofan apparatus and in which the programs are recorded, but also by ROM 22which is supplied to users while it is installed in the main body of anapparatus in advance and in which the programs are recorded, a hard disccontained in the storage portion 28 or the like.

[0154] In this specification, the step of describing the program to berecorded in the recording medium may contain not only the processingthat is time-sequentially carried along the order described, but alsothe processing that is executed in parallel or individually even withoutbeing processed time-sequentially.

[0155] Further, in this specification, the system represents the overallapparatus constructed by plural devices.

[0156] As described above, according to the information processingapparatus and method of the present invention, the recording medium andthe program, the association relationship between the input means orinput plug and the output means or output plug is stored, so thatequipment connected to a second network can know equipment connected toa first network.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processor forreceiving/transmitting data between a first network in whichcommunications are made with a first packet of an IEEE802-based formatand a second network in which communications are made with a secondpacket of an IEEE1394-based format, comprising: plural input means forinputting the first packet from said first network; converting means forconverting the first packet input from any input means of said pluralinput means to the second packet of said second network; plural outputmeans for outputting the second packet converted by said convertingmeans from any output means of said plural output means to said secondnetwork; and storage means for storing the association relationshipbetween the corresponding ones of said plural input means and saidplural output means, said corresponding ones inputting/outputting thecorresponding packet.
 2. An information processing method for aninformation processor for receiving/transmitting data between a firstnetwork in which communications are made with a first packet of anIEEE802-based format and a second network in which communications aremade with a second packet of an IEEE1394-based format, comprising thesteps of: managing plural input plugs for inputting the first packetfrom the first network; managing plural output plugs for outputting thesecond packet to the second network; converting the first packet inputfrom any input plug of the plural input plugs to the second packet ofthe second network; outputting the second packet thus converted from anyoutput plug of the plural output plugs to the second network; andstoring the association relationship between the corresponding ones ofthe plural input plugs and the plural output plugs, the correspondingones inputting/outputting the corresponding packet.
 3. A recordingmedium stored with a computer-readable program for an informationprocessor for receiving/transmitting data between a first network inwhich communications are made with a first packet of an IEEE802-basedformat and a second network in which communications are made with asecond packet of an IEEE1394-based format, comprising the steps of:managing plural input plugs for inputting the first packet from thefirst network; managing plural output plugs for outputting the secondpacket to the second network; converting the first packet input from anyinput plug of the plural input plugs to the second packet of the secondnetwork; outputting the second packet thus converted from any outputplug of the plural output plugs to the second network; and storing theassociation relationship between the corresponding ones of the pluralinput plugs and the plural output plugs, the corresponding onesinputting/outputting the corresponding packet.
 4. A program for acomputer for controlling an information processor forreceiving/transmitting data between a first network in whichcommunications are made with a first packet of an IEEE802-based formatand a second network in which communications are made with a secondpacket of an IEEE1394-based format, wherein the program makes thecomputer execute the processing comprising the steps of: managing pluralinput plugs for inputting the first packet from the first network;managing plural output plugs for outputting the second packet to thesecond network; converting the first packet input from any input plug ofthe plural input plugs to the second packet of the second network;outputting the second packet thus converted from any output plug of theplural output plugs to the second network; and storing the associationrelationship between the corresponding ones of the plural input plugsand the plural output plugs, the corresponding ones inputting/outputtingthe corresponding packet.